


Home Is Where the Heart Is

by OneAndOnlyOllie



Series: Home Is Where the Heart Is [1]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Beheaded Cousins, Divorce, Family Fluff, Kat Has a Service dog, My family will never know, Not Beta Read, Oh My God, Panic Attacks, Past Rape/Non-con, Service Dogs, We Die Like Men, fanfics about dead British monarchs?, the extent of my writing, what has my life come to?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28640292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneAndOnlyOllie/pseuds/OneAndOnlyOllie
Summary: After leaving her husband, Cathy Parr and her infant daughter, Mae, move in with Cathy's godmother. The catch? Cathy's godmother has eight roommates.Any trigger warnings will be put at the beginning of each chapter.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I of England, Anne Boleyn & Jane Seymour, Anne Boleyn & Katherine Howard, Anne of Cleves & Catherine Parr, Anne of Cleves & Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard, Catherine Of Aragon & Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon & Catherine Parr, Catherine of Aragon & Mary I of England, Edward VI of England & Jane Seymour, Elizabeth I of England - Relationship, Katherine Howard & Catherine Parr, Katherine Howard & Jane Seymour, Mary I of England - Relationship
Series: Home Is Where the Heart Is [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108187
Comments: 27
Kudos: 71





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I messed with all of their ages so that's probably not historically accurate.
> 
> This is my first AO3 fic! I hope you like it!

"Here."

Cathy barely glanced up as the fresh mug of coffee was set beside her stacks of papers, "Thanks." Her pen stopped when the barista didn't move, "Can I help you?"

The woman had the sense to look embarrassed, "Sorry, uhm, it's just that, well, uh, you've been here a long time, I mean, that's your eighth cup of coffee, and I, uh, I wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"I'm fine," Cathy glanced at the name tag pinned to the girl's apron, "Kat, thank you. I'm just going over some papers that my divorce attorney sent and it's taken more time than I thought."

"Oh," Kat shifted uncomfortably on her feet and the vested German Shepherd beside her pressed closer against the girl’s legs, "I'm sorry."

Cathy shrugged, "I appreciate that, but it's for the best."

Kat nodded quickly, "No, no, I'm, I'm sure. I mean, you seem, well, you seem like the kind of person who knows what's best."

"Thanks," Cathy smiled, "Oh, I'm Cathy, by the way, Cathy Parr."

"Kat," The teenager said, "But you already knew that, didn't you? Because of the name tag... and I'm talking a lot - sorry."

Cathy tipped her head and smiled, "Perfectly fine. It's probably strange having strangers know your name."

Kat smiled hesitantly, "Uh, yeah, a little."

The older woman opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by her name being shouted from across the coffee shop.

"Cathy!"

Almost immediately, Cathy was out of her seat and running to her godmother, meeting her in an embrace.

"Are you okay?" Catherine demanded, "Where is Mae? Is she okay?"

"I'm okay, Lina," Cathy promised, "Mae is fine, too. She's at a daycare I found."

Kat, feeling like she was intruding on a personal moment, started to slink back to the counter, clicking her tongue in an instruction for the dog beside her to follow.

"Kat?"

She froze, but relaxed when she recognized the woman calling her, "Oh, hey, Catherine."

"Why are you working tonight? Weren't you and Anne going out?"

"Anne's picking me up after my shift," Kat confirmed, "It's earlier than you think."

Catherine glanced at the clock on the wall and did a double-take, "Huh, it appears you're right, Kat. No wonder Jane was so confused when I mentioned dinner."

Cathy looked between the two, "I'm sorry, do you two know each other?"

Kat blushed and took a sudden interest in the floor, leaving Catherine to explain.

"Kat, her cousin Anne, and Anne's daughter, Liz, moved in with me, Jane, Anna, Mary, and Eddie a few months ago."

"So it's the eight of you?" Cathy stumbled over her words, "And you're seriously okay with bringing me and Mae into the mix?"

Catherine nodded reassuringly, "Of course, Mija, you're family."

"This is Cathy? That Cathy?" Kat's eyes widened, "That makes so much sense."

"Kat," Another barista in an apron approached the teenager, "Shift's over. Clock out while you still can."

Kat nodded her understanding and waved awkwardly at the other two Catherines before disappearing into the back of the coffee shop through a door Cathy hadn't noticed before, service dog trotting at her heels.

"There's going to be ten of us in that house, Lina," Cathy turned to godmother, "Will we all fit?"

Catherine laughed softly, "We'll see. Come on, love. Gather your papers, let's go get Mae and go home. How does that sound?"

"That sounds amazing," Cathy rubbed her eyes, "What about this coffee?" she pointed to the still-steaming mug on the table.

"We'll have Kat bring us a to-go cup on her way out," the older woman rubbed Cathy's shoulder comfortingly, "I'll text her now."

With Catherine's help, Cathy had her papers pulled into three neat piles within minutes and set them into folders that then went into her backpack. Kat brought the two a to-go mug, then raced out of the coffee shop and hopped into a gray CRV.

"Shall we?" Catherine handed the coffee to her goddaughter.

Cathy nodded, "Sure, yeah, let's go."

She didn't know what she was expecting, but for Catherine to lead Cathy to a well-worn cream-colored SUV wasn't it.

"Sorry about the mess," Catherine apologized as she settled herself in the driver's seat, "Anna was the last to drive this since she did the school run this morning."

"School run?" Cathy almost didn't want to ask.

Catherine laughed, smoothly pulling out of the parking lot, "Four kids, remember? Soon to be five. Kat's seventeen, Mary's fourteen, Liz is nine, and Eddie's three so they all have school and the rest of us have jobs so we take turns doing the school run."

"Mae won't be going to school for a few years. Take a left up here," Cathy kept her eyes on cars around theirs as she gave her godmother directions to the daycare center where she'd left her daughter five hours before.

"That's okay," Catherine promised, "Remember, Cathy, you now have four more adults who can help you, Kat, Mary, and Liz, too. Is this it?"

Cathy looked at the building her godmother was pointing to and nodded, "Yeah, that's it."

Catherine flicked on her blinker and pulled into the parking lot, "You go get Mae. I'll wait here."

Cathy slipped from the car, closing the door quietly behind her. Catherine turned over the engine and watched her goddaughter enter the building. A few seconds later, her phone buzzed.

 **_Jane:_ ** _When will you be home? I want to make sure I have food ready for when your goddaughter._

 **_Catherine:_ ** _You don't need to do that_

 **_Jane:_ ** _I know, but I want to. When will you be home?_

Catherine looked out the back window of the SUV to see Cathy exiting the daycare with a baby carrier and diaper bag. She glanced back down at her phone and typed out a response to Jane before hopping out to help her goddaughter with the car seat.

 **_Catherine:_ ** _About five minutes_

"No trouble, I hope?" Catherine opened one of the doors leading to the rows of back seats to the car.

Cathy shook her head, "No. Just a sweet, little old lady who called Mae an angel."

Catherine smiled and helped connect Mae's carrier to the base she had found in the garage.

"Who is that for?" Cathy pointed to the gray car seat beside Mae.

"Eddie," Catherine answered, pulling herself off the floor and closing the car door, "Liz usually sits beside him, where Mae is now, and Kat sits in the back with Mary."

"Who sits shotgun?" Cathy tipped her head, sliding into the passenger's seat.

"If they can agree on it, either Mary or Kat, but in most cases no one."


	2. Two

The house Catherine stopped in front of was a tall, skinny A-frame building. There was a basketball hoop on the street, toys in the yard, and a mini-van parked in the driveway. Cathy stared at the vehicle, trying to imagine her godmother behind the wheel, only to make herself start laughing.

"You can blame Jane for that," Catherine rolled her eyes when she saw where Cathy was looking, "She said that with two kids under ten, two teenagers, and four adults, we would need it."

"Was she right?" Cathy asked, taking Mae's carrier from the car after Catherine de-attached it; the Spaniard's silence gave Cathy the answer she needed.

Catherine led her goddaughter up the driveway to the front door of the house, where she reached into her pocket and pulled out a gold-painted key. She stuck it into the lock, but barely shifted it before the door was swung open. A woman Cathy didn't recognize was in the doorway. She looked like a normal mom in socks, jeans, a t-shirt, and a cardigan, but she carried with her an air of confidence and authority.

"What are you waiting for, loves?" The woman smiled brightly, the corners of her eyes crinkling, "Come in, come in!"

Cathy stepped over the threshold and into the house, the handle of Mae's carrier held tightly in her hand as she looked around. Catherine stepped in after her goddaughter, closing the door behind her and dropping her keys into a small dish on a table beside the door. To Cathy's left, a collection of couches and loveseat were hidden beneath blankets, pillows, and toys. To her right was the dining room. A large, dark wood dining table in the center of the room with chairs around it.

"Anne and I pulled out all the baby stuff we have left from Eddie," The blonde woman told her, "But if we're missing anything, just let us know and we can get it from you."

"Thank you," Cathy switched Mae's carrier to her other hand, "Oh, uhm, I'm Cathy, by the way, Cathy Parr."

The woman smiled, "I know who you are, darling. Catherine's told us all about you. I'm Jane Seymour."

Cathy tensed, "Sey- uhm, you, you wouldn't happen to have, to have any, uh, any brothers, would you?"

Jane's face darkened ever so slightly, "Yes, two: Edward and Thomas."

"Tom-Thomas?" The ground swayed beneath Cathy's feet and she felt the weight of Mae's carrier disappear from her hand as her vision became cloudy and she collapsed.

"So... Do we wake her up?"

"No! She'll come-to when she's ready."

"But-"

"No, Anne."

"But-"

"Everyone! Quiet! She's waking up!"

"Stop yelling," Cathy groaned, "You're so loud."

There were a few "Sorry"s muttered, but if anything else was said, Cathy missed it.

"Easy there, love," Catherine's voice met Cathy's ears, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Cathy slurred, rubbing her forehead to try and relieve the headache, "Mae!" She was assaulted by blinding light as her eyes flew open in an attempt to locate her daughter.

"It's okay," Jane's soothing voice cut through Cathy's mental doom spiral, "Catherine took her carrier before you fainted. We've taken turns with her over the last hour or so."

A woman that Cathy didn't recognize entered her line of view once her eyes had adjusted. Immediately, two characteristics jumped out: the tight space buns atop her head and the light emerald green fleece she was wearing. In her arms, however, slept the familiar body of Mae; the infant blissfully unaware that she was in a stranger's arms.

"She's a very good baby," Space-buns's voice was soft, "Man, I remember when Liz was this age. Now she has opinions."

"I thought you liked that she can think for herself," Cathy heard a German-accented voice tease.

Space-buns rolled her eyes, "Of course I like that she can think for herself, Anna. I'm incredibly proud of her for shouting "down with the patriarchy" at a school assembly. I'm just remembering the days of little sleep and how adorable she was as an infant."

"Can I have my daughter back?" Cathy held her arms out to the unfamiliar woman, "Especially considering the fact that I don't know you."

Space-buns looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms, then sighed, "Yeah, okay," and transferred Mae back to Cathy, "And, I'm Anne Boleyn, just so you know."

Cathy perked up, "Like the lawyer? Thomas Boleyn?"

Anne winced, "Uhm, yeah, I guess. He's my, he's my father."

"That's awesome!" smiled Cathy, "He seems like a cool guy."

"Right," Anne got to her feet and seemed to shrink into her fleece, "Cool."

Cathy watched as the woman left the living room and headed up a staircase. No one said anything until they could hear a door shut upstairs.

"Uhm, Cathy?" Catherine sat down on the edge of the coffee table, "We, well, we have some... guidelines here that we want to talk to you about."

Cathy nodded, "That makes sense. Let's hear them."

Catherine started to talk, but she was cut off.

"We don't talk about family," Kat spoke up, "Especially mine and Anne's."

"And I just broke that?" Cathy slumped against the back of the couch, "Great."

"Anne will understand," Jane promised, "You didn't know."

There was a crash from upstairs and Kat glanced nervously at the ceiling.

"Kat," Catherine turned to the girl, "Why don't you and Maya go check on Anne? The rest of us can get Cathy up to speed, yeah?"

Kat nodded, signaling to the German Shepherd, Maya, at her side, then bounded up the stairs, the voices of her roommates fading as she padded down the hall to her cousin's room. She tapped her knuckles against the door twice and called,

"Annie? It's me. Can I come in?"

A quiet, choked, _"Oui"_ came from inside.

Kat gently pushed the door open and slipped inside.

Anne was sitting on her bed, legs curled up under her, and camera in her hands. There was music playing, Kat realized, but it was quiet and muffled as if it was playing directly out of Anne's phone where it lay half-hidden in the blankets.

"Can I sit beside you?" Kat motioned to Maya for the dog to settle on the floor when Anne nodded her consent.

Kat looked over at the small display screen where Anne was looking at the photos she'd taken that evening while the two of them were out.

"When are the kids getting home?" Anne asked softly, breaking the silence - save the quiet classical instrumentals playing. 

The younger of the two cousins shifted on the bed, "Jane should be leaving in about ten minutes. They'll be home soon."

"Good," Anne clicked a button on her camera again and the picture changed.

"Cathy didn't -"

"I know," Anne put the camera down on the bed in front of her, "I know she didn't mean it and doesn't know, Kitty."

"Catherine, Anna, and Jane are telling her the rules right now," Kat assured her cousin, placing a hesitant hand on Anne's knee, "It won't happen again, Annie."

Anne smiled gently, "Thanks, Kit."

"What are cousins for?" Kat shrugged, "But, it's true - I am amazing."

"You are," Anne laughed, "You truly are."


	3. Three

Anne, Kat, and Maya returned downstairs shortly after Jane left to get the kids.

"You two on dinner tonight?" Anna asked them, joining the cousins in the kitchen, where the two had gone to avoid being roped into another conversation with Cathy and Catherine.

Anne shook her head, "No, _I'm_ on dinner tonight. Kat is going to sit on the steps there," she pointed to the step stool in the corner, "And not touch anything because until she can successfully make cookies without burning something, she's banned from the stove."

Anna looked at the younger cousin, who had pulled out the steps and had already settled herself on the hard plastic.

"You, too," Anne waved a spatula at Anna, "Sit or get out."

The German opted to take a seat on the floor beside Kat and the two watched Anne cook.

"What'cha making?"

"Spaghetti," Anne answered without turning around, "It's a tradition, right? Isn't that what Jane made Catherine when she moved in, then what she made Anna when you moved in, and what she made us when we moved in, Kat?"

"Can I help?" Anna started to stand up.

"No, sit down."

Pouting, Anna did as she was told, "Why?"

"You're as much of a disaster as Kat in the kitchen."

"Uhm," the German crossed her arms, "First, rude, and second, I can cook!" 

"Not spaghetti," Anne laughed, "Last time you managed to burn the pasta. I don't even know how you can do that."

"What are they talking about?" Cathy asked her godmother. Both of them had heard the cousins come down and neither were surprised that they hadn't come back to the living room.

Catherine shrugged and went back to trying to find the couch under the blankets, pillows, and toys, "Most likely dinner, could be anything, though."

"What time do you usually eat?"

The older woman shrugged, "We usually have two rounds of dinner, especially on school nights. We have the first round around five-ish, then the kids will do their homework and chores, and we'll have the second round around seven-thirty, eight."

"That's... new," Cathy blinked, subconsciously rubbing Mae's stomach.

"Maybe so," Catherine admitted, "Help me with this?" she tossed a side of the blanket over to Cathy and the two folded it down.

"Jane went to get the kids, right?"

Catherine smiled, "Yes, she'll be back soon."

A crash came from the kitchen, followed by,

_"ANNA!"_

_"That wasn't my fault - I swear!"_

_"Kat!"_

_"It was Anna!"_

_"Liar!"_

_"OUT OF THE KITCHEN!"_

A few seconds later, Kat and Anna shuffled into the living room with Maya trotting beside them. Anna flung herself across the ottoman while Kat carefully tucked herself onto a loveseat, the German Shepherd jumping up beside her.

"Can I ask you a question, Kat?" Cathy glanced briefly at the dog, then back at Kat.

The girl nodded, her fingers combing through Maya's fur, "Sure."

"The service dog...?" She let the question hang, "I don't mean to be rude, but..."

Kat smiled slightly, "You want to know what she's for?"

Cathy raised one shoulder, "If that's okay?"

"Sure," Kat nodded, "Maya is, uh, is my PTSD and anxiety service dog. She alters me if I'm going to have a, um, have a panic attack and helps keep me calm and as safe as she can in those situations."

"Then I'm glad you have her," Cathy did her best to keep her eyes off of Maya and focused on Kat, "Uhm, and thank you all so much for letting me stay here with you," Cathy rubbed the back of her neck, "I really appreciate it."

"Of course," Anne agreed, entering the living room with dried spaghetti in her hand. She gave one to Kat, Anna, and Catherine before offering one to Cathy, "Dried pasta?"

"No, I'm okay, thank you, though," Cathy denied.

Anne shrugged and started chewing on one of the pieces, leaving the room again.

Cathy watched Anne re-enter the kitchen again, "Is it always like this?"

The rest of the women nodded.

"Yep."

"Ja."

"You'll get used to it."

The sound of keys in the front door caught everyone's attention, followed by the sound of Jane calling, "We're home!"

Cathy watched the kids appear in the doorway. Mary was around average height and nearly a carbon-copy of Catherine with the same nose, cheekbones, eyes, and posture. The next was Elizabeth; short, with fiery red hair, and quick feet.

"Where's Mama?" Elizabeth asked no one particular when she saw that Anne wasn't in the living room.

"Kitchen," Kat and Anna said together, then grinned, "Jinx."

Both went silent.

"How was school, _Bella_?" Catherine addressed her daughter as Jane went upstairs with a sleeping toddler, who Cathy assumed was Edward.

Mary growled in response and flopped down beside Kat on the loveseat, "Don't get me started."

"That bad, huh, Mini-C?" Anna laughed, leaning against the wall, "You know, if you went to school in Germany, we wouldn't have this problem."

"There are bastards everywhere, Anna," Mary shot back.

Catherine crossed her arms, "Was it those boys again?"

"What?" Kat tensed.

"Oh, uhm, there are just some kids at school who have, uhm, been giving me a hard time," Mary explained slowly and carefully. She opened her mouth to speak again but thought better of it when Maya got to her paws and moved onto Kat's chest.

"Maybe we should talk in the other room?" Catherine motioned for her daughter to follow her, "We'll be right back, Cathy."

Cathy, Anna, and Kat weren't left alone too long because Elizabeth sprinted into the living room.

"Who are you?" the nine-year-old asked when she saw the unfamiliar woman sitting on the couch with a baby in her lap. 

"That's Cathy," Anna introduced the two, "She's going to be staying with us, is that okay, Red?"

"For how long?" Elizabeth glanced between the two.

Anna shrugged, "As long as she needs. Remember when you, Kat, and your mom moved in with us?" At Elizabeth's nod, Anna continued, "Think of it like that."

"Oh," Elizabeth grinned and turned to Cathy, "Welcome to the family!" She then proceeded to launch into a very detailed description of everyone in the house's personalities, if they were approachable in the mornings, their preferred hot beverages, and the code to the pantry.

Cathy had no idea when she would ever use half of the information dumped on her, but thanked Elizabeth anyway and introduced her to Mae. The two spent the next half hour playing with the baby, then Anne called, "Dinner!" and everyone moved to the dining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading this, I really appreciate it!  
> But, I also want to address the events that went down on January 6, 2021, at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. It was domestic terrorism, nothing less. The fact that these people are still being called "protestors" in the media is about as clear an example of white privilege as you can get. I, like many, are disgusted and horrified by the actions of these people, and the inaction of Trump. I hope everyone reading this knows that I stand firm and fast on the side of people of color, immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+, women, Latinx, and anyone of varying religions. If anyone is in need of an ally, listen to me when I say I HAVE YOUR BACK.
> 
> Stay safe, stay healthy, stay awesome  
> -OneAndOnlyOllie


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support this fic has gotten! It means a lot to me!  
> Also, when the cousins are using Sign Language with each other, they're using ASL since it's the only one I know.
> 
> CW: teen pregnancy

Cathy set Mae in her carrier and followed Anna and Elizabeth to the dining room. Kat hadn't moved from the couch, but had her arms around Maya and was following the others with her eyes.

"The table didn't always look like this, right?" Cathy looked at Catherine and Mary, who was helping Anne shuttle food from the kitchen.

Catherine laughed, "No, no, don't worry. Mary and I helped a little and Jane did most of the work."

"But Jane is upstairs?"

The woman in question entered the kitchen with Anne behind her, "Not quite," She laughs, "I went down a back staircase. We have two."

Anne didn't say anything and slipped away to the living room. She knelt by the loveseat where Kat was still curled with Maya.

"You okay, Kit?"

Kat's fist moved as she signed "Yes."

"That's good, I'm glad you're okay. Can you talk, or do you want to sign?"

"Sign," Kat's eyes stayed closed.

Anne nodded, "Okay, Kat, that's okay. Do you want to come to dinner, or should I save you a plate?"

"I'll come," Kat signed, starting to sit up.

"Can I help you?" Anne got to her feet but waited for Kat's consent to touch her and motion to Maya for the dog to get off Kat's legs.

Anne kept a gentle grip on Kat's elbow until the younger cousin was seated in a chair with Maya sitting beside her.

Catherine made a toast, "To family; old and new."

"To family," everyone repeated.

Cathy reached for her silverware, but Anna shook her head, motioning to Catherine, Mary, Jane, and Edward who had their heads bowed and were praying softly.

There was a quiet, "Amen," then Anna explained;

"The four of them are pretty religious so we have a moment of quiet where they can pray. You're welcome to join them if you're into that, but no pressure."

"Liz, pass bread?" Edward pointed to the basket of rolls.

Jane leaned her head down so it was next to his, "What do we say, Eddie?"

"Please!"

Elizabeth glanced from Edward to the basket of bread, then shook her head, "No."

Anna snorted, as did Kat.

"Liz!" Anne scolded.

Elizabeth shrugged, "You told me, Mama, you said I never have to do anything I don't want to. You say it's my choice."

That earned a laugh from Catherine and Mary. Jane smiled sympathetically at Anne.

"Liz, pass Eddie the bread."

"No."

Cathy watched with interest as Anne pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath, clearly counting to ten in her head.

"Elizabeth Boleyn," she somehow stayed calm, "Give Eddie the bread."

Elizabeth crossed her arms and sat back, "You're a hippopotamus."

Mary tried to hide her laughter behind a cough, "You mean hypocrite?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Yes, you're a that."

"I guess I am," Anne nodded, surprising Cathy. She'd never heard an adult admit that to a child. Anne continued, "I did say that you never have to do anything you don't want to and you always have a choice. But, it's me who is asking you, _ange_ , please give Eddie the bread."

Elizabeth was quiet for a few seconds, then nodded, "Fine," She picked up the basket and passed it across the table, "Here you go, Eddie."

"Thank you!" Edward smiled a toothy grin back at her.

Cathy didn't miss the look of relief that passed over Anne's face once eating resumed.

Truth be told, Cathy was intrigued by her new housemates, even by her own godmother. She'd known that Catherine had been domesticated once Mary came and even more so once she'd moved in with Jane and Edward, but she hadn't known just how much. Jane, too, was a puzzle. Cathy had expected her to be a female version of Thomas - controlling, cruel, and mean - but Jane wasn't like that. She was gentle, kind, and the human personification of the phrase "do no harm".

Then, there was Anna. Cathy wasn't sure exactly how the German fit into this family, but she did. She was making faces at Edward, making him laugh, and keeping his attention so that Jane could eat. She reminded Cathy of the rich aunt who shows up with the most expensive gifts and who is great with kids but doesn't have any of her own. 

Then the cousins: Anne and Kat. It hadn't been lost to Cathy that something must have happened with their family that forced Anne to take in her cousin, but what that was, she wasn't sure. Anne reminded Cathy of someone who had been forced to grow up too quickly but had adapted perfectly. She was able to coax Kat into eating a little spaghetti and exhibited A+ parenting in convincing Elizabeth to give Edward bread. Kat, however, was the person who Cathy was the most interested by. Nothing about her seemed to make sense.

At first glance, Kat looked like any other teenager with her skinny jeans and half her ponytail dyed bright pink, but Cathy was positive there was more, proven by the German Shepherd service dog, Maya, that was always with her. Cathy had met people with service dogs before, but they had all been adults - never teenagers.

"What's your story, Cathy?" Anna's voice cut into Cathy's thoughts.

"My story?" She repeated.

"Do you have any siblings?" explained Anna, "Where were you born, how old are you, how old is the baby, you know, normal stuff."

"Because 'where were you born' is a normal question," Mary rolled her eyes.

Anna stuck out her tongue, "It is now."

"Cathy," Catherine spoke over Anna and Mary, silencing their debate before it could get started, "Just tell us about yourself."

"Right," Cathy nodded, "Uhm, I have two siblings, Ann and William. I'm twenty-four and Mae is three months."

Anne scoffed, "Huh, having a child as an adult - can't relate."

Cathy blinked, "Did you -" She trailed off, "Sorry, it's not my business."

"No, it's fine," Anne rolled her shoulders, "My ex got me pregnant two weeks before my seventeenth birthday. Father dearest called me a disgrace and Anne Boleyn was then Anne Bo-kicked out."

"I'm sorry," Cathy didn't know what else she could say.

Anne nodded, "I appreciate that, but it was for the best. I wouldn't have adopted Kat otherwise and I wouldn't be living here."

"Everything worked out in the end," Kat signed.

Cathy looked between the cousins, "I'm sorry, I don't know sign language. What did you say, Kat?"

"She said 'everything worked out in the end'," translated Anne, helping Elizabeth reach her water glass.

"And it did," Elizabeth smiled at her mother, "Thanks."

Anne took hold of Kat's hand beneath the table, but if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything. 


	5. Five

Cathy didn't see Anne nor Kat for the rest of the night. Jane was the one who took her on a tour of the second and third floors, even pointing out the attic where Liz and Mary tend to work on their homework or spend time with friends. Cathy and Mae's room was on the third floor with Anna, Jane, and Edward.

"This is you," Jane opened the door across from Anna's, "Then there," she motioned to the door in question, "Will most likely be Mae's if you two are here when she's old enough to sleep on her own. We didn't decorate very much since we don't know what you like, but you're welcome to do anything you want. I'm right there at the end of the hallway," She waved behind her, "Feel free to ask for anything. Uhm, there are extra blankets in the attic and the bathroom is there."

"Thank you very much, Jane," Cathy shifted her grip on Mae's carrier, "We really appreciate it."

Jane smiled, "Good night, love. Sleep well."

Cathy stayed in the doorway of her new room until Jane's door closed and she was alone.

"What do you say, Mae? Let's check out our new home, yeah?"

She stepped further into the bedroom and swept her gaze around. In the middle of the wall in front of Cathy, stood a full-size bed with what looked like newly-washed sheets. To her left stood a beautifully finished wooden dresser and bookcase, both of which sparkled in the fading light seeping in through the windows. To her right, was a desk and reading lamp, and a bassinet and changing table for Mae.

This was not the kind of bedroom Cathy was expecting, especially given the state of the rest of the house. There wasn't a speck of dust that Cathy could see and everything had a place.

"Are you seeing this, Mae-Mae?" Cathy set the carrier down on the ground and set her backpack on the desk, "It's beautiful." Mae offered no reply other than a series of incoherent babbles.

Mae had been sleeping most of the day, so getting the infant to accept that it was bedtime wasn't the simplest. Every time Cathy would try to lay her in the bassinet, Mae would start screaming, forcing Cathy to stay awake with her.

"This is going to be a long night, isn't it, sweetheart?"

Two weeks later, Cathy had settled into the rhythm of life with her godmother and her housemates. She'd started taking part in the school run, taking her turn dropping Kat, Mary, Elizabeth, Edward, and Mae off at school or daycare before spending the day either at work or with her lawyer as she tried to fight Thomas both for their divorce and full-custody of Mae.

"You're up early."

Cathy tore her gaze from the floor, only to see Kat coming into the kitchen, her hair still pulled back in the double French braids Anne had done the night before.

"Is it morning?" she looked at the oven clock, sighing when she saw _6:30_ in neon green, "That's disappointing."

"Are you okay?" Kat leaned against the counter, adding, "Down," to Maya, who lay down on the tile floor.

Cathy set down her coffee mug that must've been half-empty for the past hour and nodded, "I'm okay, just nervous for court."

Kat's eyes widened, "That's today?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us that's today? We could've helped you prepare!"

"Prepare for what?" Jane came into the kitchen, moving immediately to the cupboards and pulling down bagels.

"Cathy's divorce and custody hearings are today," Kat answered at the same time Cathy said, "Nothing."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jane's face softened, "Cathy, darling, you don't have to do these things on your own anymore. You have a family that can help you."

Kat laughed softly, "You just want to stick it to your brother."

"Shh," Jane playfully swatted at Kat's nose, "While that may be true, I also want to be there for Cathy. My bastard of a brother deserves to be destroyed today."

"If we're destroying someone, can we do it after I've had coffee?" Anne stumbled into the kitchen, making a beeline for the machine, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm down for destroying someone, just give me a time and a name and I'll be there, but, please, after coffee?"

"We're not destroying anyone," Cathy rolled her eyes, "It's just a court case."

Anne shivered, "You poor innocent soul," she yawned, "Nothing is ever 'just a court case'. Take some advice from someone who's been to court multiple times, you fight as hard as you can and you don't leave unless you're leaving with full custody of your kid."

Kat smiled softly, "That's what you did with me."

Anne looked at her cousin and returned the smile, "That poor judge didn't know what hit him," She signed, making Kat laugh.

"I need to learn sign language," Cathy sighed, rubbing her forehead, "Not today. Too tired."

Jane shook her head, "You three, out of the kitchen. Cathy, go take a nap or something before we leave for court. Anne, start calling schools and works and make excuses for everyone. I don't care what you use as long as I won't get a phone call asking for clarification. Just say there's a bug going around the house or something."

"I'm pretty sure court appearances are legitimate excuses," Kat added helpfully.

"Except we don't technically have to be there," Anne explained, "We're going for moral support, but thanks Kit. I'll keep that in mind."

Anne left to make the phone calls, Cathy stumbled into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. Kat and Maya followed slower and curled on the loveseat. Kat could hear Jane singing softly in the kitchen and smiled at the welcome noise. There was always some sort of auditorial stimulation in the house; whether it was someone playing music in their bedroom, someone singing in the shower or the kitchen, someone watching something on the TV in the playroom, or someone yelling at someone else over something minuscule. No matter what the audio, Kat noticed, it was never bothersome, at least to her. It reminded her that she wasn't alone and that there was someone else around her. Plus, because of how loud everyone was, no one could ever sneak up on her.

Mary was the next one downstairs, followed closely by Catherine, Elizabeth, and Edward.

"What are you doing still in your pajamas?" Catherine asked Kat, "You have school."

Kat shook her head, "House-wide ditch-day," She said, "Cathy's court hearings are today and Anne is calling us out of school and work so we can go and support her, you know, being the good housemates that we are."

"I'm going back to bed," Elizabeth turned on her heel and went back upstairs.

"Where Mommy?" Edward tugged on Catherine's sleeve, "Where?"

Catherine shot a look at Kat, who said, "Kitchen."

The woman picked Edward up and held him on her hip, "Come on, Eddie." She turned to Kat and Mary, "Wake up Anna soon, okay, _chicas?"_

"Yes, Mom," Mary nodded, "We'll take care of it."

Mary slumped down on the loveseat with Kat and Maya.

"Sleep well?" asked Kat sarcastically.

Mary glared at her, yawning, "That baby has a very good pair of lungs."

"Sorry," A muffled voice apologized.

"Kat," Mary leaned toward the other girl, "The blankets are talking."

Cathy poked her head out from the mount of quilts, "It's me. Sorry about Mae."

Mary shrugged, "Don't worry about it, Cath. We've all been through it before with Liz and Eddie. Is everything okay with you, though? I mean, besides the fact that you're seeing you-know-who today in court."

"He's not Voldemort," Kat rolled her eyes.

Cathy smiled sleepily, "He might as well be, and I appreciate your concern, Mary, but there isn't anything else. It's just seeing him again today that I'm worried about. Him and his lawyer."

Kat perked up, "Do you know who his lawyer is?"

"Someone good," Cathy shook her head, "Thomas told me he was going to get "the best lawyer in the district", whoever that is."

Kat and Mary share a look of horror.

"What?" Cathy looked between the two of them, "Do you know who that is?"

Maya pressed closer to Kat while the girl answered, "Uhm, yeah, I think that he was talking about the other you-know-who."

"The other you-know-who?" Cathy repeated.

"What about Voldemort?" laughed Anne, coming in and laying down on the floor, stretched out in a patch of sunlight in an almost feline manner.

Mary answered first, "Cathy's ex said he was going to get "the best lawyer in the district"."

Anne sat up, locking eyes with her cousin, "You don't think he could've meant...?" she left the question hanging.

Kat nodded, "That's what they advertise as."

"Who?" Cathy was worried.

Anne's body tensed and her shoulders squared. She looked at Cathy with hard eyes, "Thomas Boleyn, my father."


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Mentions of Kat's past abuse and Thomas Boleyn. Also a brief description of the tail end of a panic attack.

Cathy was stunned, "Your, your father?"

Anne didn't answer, suddenly extremely interesting in picking at the rug.

"Doesn't he have some sort of moral code? Like 'don't defend abusers' or something?" Cathy was determined to convince herself that Thomas would not be bringing Thomas Boleyn to court. 

Anne scoffed, "Thomas Boleyn doesn't have a moral code. For that you need morals."

"Annie?" Kat whimpered, her arms wrapped around Maya, "You don't think he'll bring... _him,_ do you?"

Anne's face softened, "I don't know, Kat," She got off the ground and settled on the loveseat behind her cousin, pulling Kat against her chest, "But whatever happens, _mon chaton_ , I promise I'll protect you."

Mary moved off the loveseat and settled herself on the couch with Cathy.

"Who's 'him'?" Cathy whispered to the teenager.

Mary shrugged, "I'm aware of four it could be, but I'm not sure which one this is."

Anne caught Cathy and Mary's attention and fingerspelled J-A-N-E. Cathy blinked back, but Mary was on her feet in an instant and raced into the kitchen. Both Jane and Catherine were making a stack of bagels while Edward played with a toy horse on the floor.

"Jane," Mary broke the comfortable silence, "Anne and Kat think that Anne's father is going to be Cathy's ex's lawyer and that he might bring one of the guysthat hurt Kat."

Jane paused for a second, working through the sentence in her head, then her eyes widened, "Damnit!"

She scrambled into the living room with Mary on her heels, to find Cathy back asleep and Kat crying into Anne's shirt with Maya on her back as Anne stared blankly at the wall.

"Oh, loves," she crouched on the floor by the sofa and set a gentle hand on Anne's arm. The older cousin didn't move, she didn't flinch or react. It was like she was a doll.

Jane shoved the shock away, well aware of Mary and Catherine watching from the door, and focused her attention on Kat. The younger girl was curled in Anne's lap hyperventilating and choking on sobs with Maya on her back, trying to calm her down.

"Kat?" Jane called softly, "Kat, can you hear me?" The girl curled tighter in on herself and started scratching at her shoulders and arms. Before Jane could do anything, Maya stepped in and lay on Kat's arms, putting just enough weight on her forearms to stop them from moving. The German Shepherd nuzzled Kat's head against her stomach fur and started lapping at Kat's neck in a steady rhythm.

Kat's breathing evened out after a few minutes, followed by her sobs morphing into quiet whimpers as she freed her hands from under Maya and wrapped them around the dog's body, holding fast to the grounding comfort that came from Maya's warmth and familiarity.

As if sensing Kat's improvement, Anne's eyes shifted from the wall to her cousin's head.

"Anne?" Jane spoke softly to not spook her, "Anne, darling, can you look at me?"

Slowly, Anne's head turned and her foggy green eyes landed on the woman crouching beside her.

"Anne, love, can you take a deep breath for me?" Jane glanced briefly at Catherine and said, "Can you get me two ice packs?" Then looked back to the cousins, "In for eight, hold for seven, out for six?"

Anne nodded once and Jane ticked the seconds off on her fingers, then counted again for the next breath.

"Jane?" Catherine handed two ice packs over.

"Thanks," Jane took the packs, "Anne, can you give me your hand, darling?"

Anne's hand flopped awkwardly toward Jane, who pressed the cold object into her fingers. The older of the two cousins winced lightly at the temperature, but followed Jane's softly-spoken instructions and curled the ice pack into her fist.

"Just hold that for me, love, okay?" Anne's hesitant nod was the only sign that she understood the instructions.

Jane's attention snapped to Kat when a soft voice asked,

"Is Annie okay?"

Kat's big, brown eyes were watching her through Maya's fur, making her look like some sort of wild cat crouched in tall grass.

Jane nodded, smiling sympathetically, "She's okay, darling, well, she's getting there. What happened? She usually doesn't need this much coaching."

"Liz isn't here," Kat answered softly, "What time is it?"

"Ten past seven," Catherine knelt down beside Jane, "You feeling a little better?"

Kat nodded, stroking Maya's fur.

"I'm so sorry, Kat."

That's when everyone noticed that Cathy was watching the four of them from the couch.

"W-What are you, you sorry for?" Kat stammered quietly.

"Everything," Cathy shook her head sadly, "I understand if you don't want to come with me to court. I won't blame you."

Kat shook her head, "No, no, I'm coming. You matter... to me."

"You matter to me, too," Cathy sat up, "But, I don't want you to suffer on my account."

Kat nodded, "I know, I'm c-coming."

Anne's hand moved back and forth clumsily from her chest in the Y hand shape.

"Are you sure?" Kat eyed her cousin hesitantly, "Annie, you don't have to."

Anne's fist moved up and down.

"We're both, we're both coming," Kat told Cathy, "We'll be there."

Jane smiled, "We'll see how you two are feeling when we get closer to departure time."

Catherine got to her feet, "I'm going to go wake everyone else up, you two stay here and rest, okay? You, too, Cathy."

Cathy gave her godmother a two-finger salute and listened to the footsteps upstairs.

"Breakfast," Mary came in and threw Cathy and Jane bagels. More gently, the teenager handed food to Anne and Kat, not letting go until she was sure they were holding them.

"Thank you, Mary," Jane stood up, "Where is Edward?"

"He's still in the kitchen," Mary gestured behind her, "I left him on the floor playing. He's fine."

"Stupid mornings," Elizabeth fell face-first over the back of the couch, "I hate mornings."

"We could start calling them Pre-Afternoons, if you'd prefer that, Lizzie?" teased Mary.

"Then I'd hate Pre-Afternoons," Liz grumbled, "It's the same thing no matter what you call it."

Catherine came back down the stairs herding Anna in front of her with Mae in her arms, "Family meeting," She called when she reached the floor, "We need to discuss today."

That's how all ten of them ended up in the living room, chewing bagels and talking about the entire family going to court with Cathy and Mae. All the risks were laid out, including the possibility of members of Anne and Kat's family being there. There wasn't any hesitation from anyone in the family in the end. Everyone said they were coming and would face the "bad men", as Elizabeth called them.

"So we're agreed?" Anna tried to shake herself awake, "We're going?"

Jane shrugged, "I guess we are. Let's get ready. We leave in half an hour. Semi-formal."

Anne and Kat shared a glance.

"We face this together, okay?" Anne signed, holding her hand out to her cousin.

Kat nodded and signed back, "Together," gripping Anne's hand.


	7. Seven

The courthouse was quiet, but no one was surprised given the fact that it was a Wednesday morning. Cathy's lawyer, Marcus, met the group in the hallway outside their assigned courtroom and was clearly surprised by the eight tag-alongs. 

"Mr. Seymour has brought in Thomas Boleyn," Marcus told them.

Anne tensed and pulled Kat and Elizabeth closer to her.

"Does he have an assistant or co or something?" Jane asked the question on everyone's mind. 

Marcus nodded, "A law student," he said, "Named Francis Dereham."

Kat let out a whimper and Maya started to tugging gently on her handler's sleeve. The teenager slowly moved to the floor while Marcus continued to fill the housemates in on what they could expect over the course of the day.

Cathy, who had heard it all before, knelt down in front of Kat, "You don't have to be here," she said softly, "You can go home if you want."

The teenager shook her head, "No, I-I'm coming. I need to face him," she hugged Maya tighter, "Maya will keep me safe."

"So will we," Catherine sat down beside Kat, "We won't let either of them come near you or Anne, okay?"

Kat nodded into Maya's pink vest, "I trust you."

"Ladies, and gent," Marcus nodded to Edward, "Are we ready?"

Kat and Anne were the last to nod, then Marcus held the door and the group entered the courtroom. Anna kept a close eye on the cousins and Elizabeth, especially when Seymour and his lawyers noticed their arrival.

"I should have known," Thomas scowled at Jane, who glared back.

"Anne?" Boleyn saw his daughter where she was hidden behind Anna and Catherine.

Anne squared her shoulders and gently pushed Kat and Elizabeth behind her. It wasn't fast enough, however, Dereham had looked up.

"Katherine Howard," he smirked, "It's been a while."

"Eyes to yourself," Anna blocked Kat from the man's view.

Thomas smacked Dereham on the back of his head - not nearly as hard as Anne would've liked - before saying, "Anne, what are you doing here, sweetheart?"

Anne narrowed her eyes, "I'm supporting my family," she growled, "Something you wouldn't anything about."

"You were throwing your life away - you still are!"

"Don't talk to my mama that way!" Elizabeth pushed forward. 

Immediately, Anne had her arms around her daughter's chest, "Elizabeth," she warned quietly.

"Elizabeth?" Boleyn's eyes flashed, "You named her after my wife?"

Anne met her father's gaze evenly, "You lost the right to any information about me or my life the second you kicked me out. I don't need to explain my choices to you and I _certainly_ don't need your approval." Boleyn's mouth opened and closed like a fish, but Anne ignored him. She turned to Kat and signed, "Are you okay?"

Kat shrugged, "No, but I will be."

"Don't force yourself," Anne whispered, "If you need a break, tell me and we'll step out."

The younger of the two cousins nodded her agreement and allowed Anna to steer her to one of the long pew-like benches where Mary and Catherine had sat down once the family drama had started. Jane finished giving her brother the Seymour Death Stare, then herded Edward and Elizabeth to their seats.

"Are you okay?" Cathy gently touched Anne's elbow. The two of them and Marcus were the last two yet to sit down.

Anne met her housemate's gaze, "You get out there," she said, deadly calm, "You get out there and you win this thing. Go wipe those privileged looks off their faces. Get your divorce and get your daughter."

Cathy nodded, "That's the goal."

"Councilors?" One of the bailiffs called out, "Are you ready?"

Anne sat down between Elizabeth and Kat, and Cathy joined Marcus at their table.

"We are," Marcus and Boleyn responded.

The judge was brought in and the hearing began. Anna stayed close by Kat's side and kept an eye on Dereham. The last thing the day needed was for him to decide to make a move on Kat.

"It's not fair!" Seymour was saying.

The judge sighed, "I'm not here to provide marriage counseling, Mr. Seymour, please sit down."

"I do nothing and then, all of a sudden, she wants to divorce me and take my daughter!"

"If you don't sit down and be quiet, Mr. Seymour, I'm going to have to ask that you leave the room."

"Thomas, stop," Boleyn tugged on his client's sleeve.

"No!" Seymour yelled, "I don't deserve the way she is treating me! All I've ever been is faithful and loving!"

Cathy held her tongue and followed Marcus's advice of not speaking unless asked to by either a lawyer or the judge. She turned in her chair and looked at Anne, who nodded encouragingly.

"Mr. Seymour!" The judge yelled, "Be quiet! Bailiff, escort this man out!"

"You can't do that! This is my case!" cried Seymour as the bailiff pushed him out of the room.

"I can do whatever I see fit, Mr. Seymour, it's my court." The doors closed behind the two and the judge turned to Cathy with a sympathetic smile before saying, "I'd divorce him, too."

Boleyn's jaw dropped and a laugh escaped Jane's throat. Cathy smiled and glanced at Anne again, only to find her grinning widely.

"I would have suggested you attend marriage counseling, Ms. Parr," the judge continued, "Until Mr. Seymour had his..." She paused, searching for the right word, "Tantrum. I will grant the divorce and allow you to settle your affairs internally."

"If I may, Your Honor?" Cathy got to her feet, "I want nothing from Thomas."

The judge tipped her head, "Oh?"

Cathy stole another look at Anne and took a deep breath, "No. We didn't have a joint account so we don't need to divvy up the money. The only thing I want, Your Honor, is full custody of our daughter, Mary Seymour-Parr. I don't want Thomas to be a figure in her life unless she wants him to be."

Boleyn jumped to his feet, "Objection, Your Honor!"

"On what grounds?" The judge raised her eyebrows.

Anne's father looked flustered, "On the grounds of... Of my client not being here!"

"And who's fault is that? Objection overruled," The judge responded immediately.

"Oooooo!" Elizabeth laughed, earning a playful glare from her mother.

"Ms. Parr," The judge nodded, "You seem like a sensible woman who has thought long and hard about this decision, am I right?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Do you have a place to live? Big enough for you and Mary to live comfortably as she grows?"

Cathy nodded, "Yes, Your Honor."

The judge smiled, "Being a single parent is a very difficult job. Do you have support from family or friends? Someone who could take care of Mary if something were to happen to you?"

"Yes, Your Honor. They're all here," she motioned to the women sitting behind her.

"Will Mary be taken care of and shown the love that every child deserves?"

Cathy glanced at her daughter, who the older Mary was keeping entertained, then at Boleyn, who was frantically trying to find some technicality that would prevent her from winning this case. Anne's words of advice ran through her head, _'Fight as hard as you can and you don't leave until you're leaving with full custody of your kid.'_ Cathy Parr took a breath, then looked back to the judge.

"Yes, Your Honor. Mary is and will always be loved and cared for."

The judge nodded, "Then I have made my decision."


	8. One Year Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! We've made it! 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the support you humans have given me and this fic! It means a lot to me!

"So, Elizabeth, you drew quite a lot on your family tree, why don't you explain it to us?"

Anne watched from the back of the room as Elizabeth walked to the front of the class and held up her poster board.

"That's my grandma, Elizabeth, who I'm named for," the ten-year-old pointed to the faces she had cut from pictures as she explained, "She had my mama, Anne, who had me. My cousin is here. Her name is Kat, she's eighteen, and that's her dog, Maya. Over here, we have Catherine, Jane, Anna, Cathy, Mary, Edward, and Mae-"

"Sorry to interrupt," Elizabeth's teacher cut in, "But the assignment was to put your family."

Elizabeth looked at her poster, then back to her teacher, "I did."

"Where's your father and his parents? Or even your mom's dad."

Anne tensed and Catherine, who was beside her, put a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Liz's got this," Catherine whispered.

And she was right, of course, because not a second later, Elizabeth narrowed her eyes.

"Are you saying that my family is not "right" because my birth father isn't in my life? Or is it just that you don't think that women are strong enough to raise a kid on their own?" Elizabeth tipped her head, "Maybe it's because you're so closed-minded that you can't understand that my mom doesn't need a husband and there is more than one way to build a family?"

The teacher didn't say anything but slumped lower in his chair as if trying to avoid the expectant looks coming from the parents who had shown up to watch the presentations.

Elizabeth nodded her satisfaction at his silence, then turned back to her class, "As I was saying..."

After class, Anne and Catherine waited outside for Elizabeth to come out and join them.

"There she is!" Anne opened her arms when her daughter ran out of the door.

Elizabeth hugged her mom, then Catherine.

"Was I good?" She asked when she pulled back.

"Good?" laughed Catherine, " _Q_ _uerida_ , you were amazing!"

"Mama?" Elizabeth grinned at Catherine, then looked at Anne.

"I'm so proud of you, _mon amour_ ," Anne ran a hand over Elizabeth's head, "Especially the way you chewed your teacher out for those ridiculous questions."

"You'll have to give the presentation again for us tonight at dinner, okay, Liz?" Catherine took the poster as Elizabeth handed it over to her.

"Sure!" the ten-year-old nodded, "I wish Jane and Cathy could have been here."

"They do too," Catherine assured her, "But Cathy's got her book signing and Jane's got that interview with -"

"I'm here!" Jane skidded to a stop beside Anne. "Oh, is it over?" Jane's smile faultered when Elizabeth nodded, "I'm so sorry I missed it, Lizzie. Principal Walker kept me overtime. How did you do?"

"Amazing!" Anne exclaimed, making the ten-year-old blush, "She spoke slowly and clearly and chewed out her teacher when he was being an intolerant fool!"

Jane rolled her eyes, "Of course he was. Promise you'll give the presentation at home for us?"

"I will, Jane!" nodded Elizabeth eagerly.

"Excuse me?"

The group turned to see a lesbian couple and their son coming over.

"Elizabeth, right?" One of the women asked.

"Yep!"

The other spoke next, "We really enjoyed your presentation, especially your response to Mr. Cromwell's questions."

"You should be very proud of her," The woman's wife added, looking between Anne,Catherine, and Jane.

"We are, thank you," Anne smiled back.

Catherine started to compliment the boy's presentation when Elizabeth's best friends, Maggie and Joan, ran up.

"Liz! We gotta go back!" Joan started tugging Elizabeth's arm.

"It was nice to see you, Ms. Boleyn, Ms. Aragon, and Ms. Seymour!" Maggie added.

"You, too, girls," laughed Jane, "Tell your parents that we say hello."

"Bye, Mama! Bye, Catherine! Bye, Jane!" Elizabeth called as her friends dragged her back into class.

"Bye, Lizzie," Catherine waved, "Have fun."

There was a muffled, "I won't!" but other than that, no response was heard.

"That sounds _awesome!_ " Anna grinned when Elizabeth finished giving the run-down of her presentation. 

"I'm so sorry that we missed it, Liz," Kat agreed, "My professor was being difficult."

"Did he actually say that?" Mary crossed her arms.

Elizabeth, Anne, and Catherine all nodded.

"That's mean!" Edward pouted.

"It is, Eddie," Mary agreed, "But Liz told him off, right?"

Elizabeth nodded, "Don't worry, Eddie, I don't think Mr. Cromwell will be bothering us much anymore."

"Lizzie!" Cathy looked appalled, which sent Anna and Kat to the floor cackling.

"He's not dead!" Elizabeth threw up her hands, "Jeez, have a little faith. You're acting like he's dead in a ditch somewhere!"

Edward looked up from his plate, "Dead in a ditch!" he sang.

Jane put her head in her hands and Mary joined Kat and Anna on the floor. Elizabeth blushed and looked down at her food.

"Do you know what this night needs?" Anna stumbled to her feet, phone in hand.

"What?" asked Jane.

"Dance party!" Anna jabbed a finger against the device's screen, then music blared from speakers in the kitchen and in the living room.

That's how the entire family ended up dancing for the next two hours with everyone taking turns with Mae. Then, they collapsed on the couch with Maya sprawled across Anne, Mary, and Kat, watching a Disney marathon.

Their family was strange and certainly not normal, but for them it was perfect. It had everything needed for a family: love, loyalty, and a feeling of undeniable safety. Cathy's ex-husband was out of their lives, as was Anne and Kat's family once again. Everyone on the couch had a past and their fair share of skeletons in the closet, but together? Together, they were whole. Together, they were free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's a wrap!  
> Technically, I should not have written this because I have carpal tunnel right now and I'm not supposed to be typing but we're living on the EDGE :)
> 
> What would you think about a series of one-shots to follow? Sequels or prequels or just moments of fluff that I think of during my classes?

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave feedback!


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